Connection between coaxial conductor pairs

ABSTRACT

Connection between two pairs of coaxial conductors, each having an inner conductor, tubular outer conductor and insulative dielectric means for supporting the outer conductor on the inner conductor; a metallic sleeve is interposed between the ends of the outer conductors of the two pairs; a shrinkable hose is slipped over the sleeve and the ends of the two outer conductors; solder rings are in the hose for providing metallic bond connection to the sleeve and the ends of the tubes; and means for separately interconnecting the inner conductors inside of the sleeve.

United States Patent 1191 Maltz et al. 1 June 18, 1974 CONNECTION BETWEEN COAXIAL 2,133,448 10/1938 Harley 174/88 c x CONDUCTOR PAIRS 2,937,228 5/1960 Robinson 3,001,003 9/l96l Robinson [7 Inventors: Georg Maltz, Burgdorf; Heinz 3,525,799 8/1970 Ellis Buschkamp, Hannover; Hans 3,541,495 11/1970 Ellis et a1. 174/75 C X Sch'dnfeld, Hamelerwald, all of Germany [73] Assignee: Kabel-und Metallwerke Prima'y Examiner l?arreu clay gutehoffnungshuue Hannover, Attorney, Agent, or FzrmRalf H. S1egemund Germany [22] Filed: May 5, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 250,489 [57] ABSTRACT [30] 1 Foreign Application Priority Data Connection between two pairs of coaxial conductors,

May 17, 1971 Germany 2124428 each having an inner Conductor, tubular Outer ductor and insulative dielectric means for supporting [52] U s CL 174 3 29/ 23 174/ 4 R, the outer conductor on the inner conductor; a metallic 174 131 3 22 5 339 275 R sleeve is interposed between the ends of the outer 51 1m. (:1 H02g 15/08 conductors of the two pairs; 4 Shrinkable hose is [58] Field of Search 174/75 c, 88 c, 91-93, pp Over the sleeve and the ends of the two Outer 174/DIG. 8, 84 R; 339/177 R, 176 R, 285 R; Conductors; solder rings are in the hose for providing 29 23; 223/5 metallic bond connection to the sleeve and the ends of the tubes; and means for separately interconnecting 5 R f n Cited the inner conductors inside of the sleeve.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,181 8/1889 Ferrant 174/88 c x 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I The present invention relates to connection for and in coaxial cables, particularly of the variety used in communication engineering and more particularly for the transmission of digital-signals. The individual transmission lines in the cable are comprised of coaxial conductor pairs having an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor supported on the inner conductor by means of a dielectrioThe interconnection of such conductor pairs is to be improved in accordance with this invention.

The connection of the conductor pairsin such cables poses significant problems. Consider'the dimensions involved; cables for thetransmission of digital signals often have an inner conductor of'about 0.6 mm (about 25 mils) diameter-and an outer conductor of 2mm (about 80 mils). Soldering of connector splices is usually not possible, as the heat'destroys the dielectric. Also, the small dimensions make it impossible to solder the inner conductor and still maintain the distance between the inner and outer conductor. There was, therefore, a need for a connection element of such cables which does not need soldering. Solder free connection has been constructed by using a plug-in type configura- DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.

It is an object of the present invention to provide 'a connection for coaxial conductor pairs, interconnecting such pairsdirectly, whereby the outer conductor is or can be asolid tube. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer conductors of two coaxial conductor pairs to be interconnected, are connected through interpositioning of a sleeve, A shrinkable hose is placed over sleeve and the two adjoining end portions of the two outer conductor tubes, whereby the shrinkable hose urges solder rings against the joints between sleeve and tubes. Upon application of heat, the solder bonds and interconnects sleeve and tubes, without endangering the structure of the tubes. The inner conductors are separately interconnected whereby a similar arrangement can be provided, but simpler connection may suffice here. The shrinkable hose is preferably made of polyethylene, polyvinylchloride or polychloroprene.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed that the invention, the objects and features of the invention and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates section view through a connection ample of the present invention;

of two conductor pairs made in accordance with an FIG. la is a section along lines la-la in FIG. 1; FIGS. 2 and 3 show modifications of details in FIG.

I, particularly as to the interconnection of inner conductors; and

FIG. 4 is a section view of another example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPT ION OF THE DRAWINGS 4. The outer conductors 1 and 2 are solid tubes.

The outer conductors 1 and 2 are interconnected by means of a sleeve 7 made of two halves 7a and 7b (See FIG. 1a). Portions of the insulative carriers 3 and 4 have been cut off and replaced by two insulative support elements 8 and 9 respectively slipped on inner conductors 5 and 6. These insulative pieces 8 and 9 are partially inserted into tubes 1 and 2 respectively, but they project from the tubes so that sleeve 7 can be mounted on and supported by elements 8 and 9. Elements 8 and 9 are made from heat resisting plastic such as polytetrafluorethylene.

A shrinkable hose 10 is slipped over the entire assembly, including the end portions of tubes 1 and 2. Two

solder rings 11 and 12 are provided on the inside of hose 10 and having position on the respective axial joints of sleeve 7 and tubes 1 and 2; Now the hose is heated from the outside, so that the solder establishes I a metallic bond with sleeve 7 and tubes 1 and 2. Also,

the double joint. I

The two inner conductors 5 and 6 may have been interconnected previously as follows. A small metal sleeve 17 is slipped over the ends of the two conductors 5 and 6. The sleeve 17 has two slots 18 and I9, and solder elements 13 and '14 project therethrough. These solder'elements 13 and 14 are provided on the inside of another shrinkable hose 12 which 'is slipped over sleeve 17. The hose 12 has been heated from the outside to soften the solder for establishing metallic bond with the sleeve solder and conductors.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the slots 18 and 19 could be omitted, and solder rings could be provided to be effective between the axial ends of sleeve 17 and conductors Sand 6. In the case of lesser requirements as to quality and electrical conditions (e.g., S/N ratio), conductors 5 and-6 cansimply be made to overlap. As shown in FIG. 3, a single solder ring is provided inside of hose 12 for joining the conductors. Sleeve 17 has been omitted in this case.

Turning now to FIG. 4, inner and outer conductors are provided as before, the dielectric support structures 3' and 4' are also provided here, but having different configuration. That, however, is not material for this example of the preferred embodiment of the invention. It merely shows that a solid insulative carrier of this type can be used directly, and does not have to be replaced by pieces such as 8 and 9 in FIG. 1.

The inner conductors 5 and 6 are directly interconnected by a metal sleeve 28 having oppositely oriented the heat shrinking hose provides a waterproof cover for 3 threads at its'two ends for threadingly receiving conductors Sand 6. Threadings are actually out into the conductors by the threading process and that suffices for both, mechanically and electrically connecting the two conductors.

It should be mentioned, that the connection of the inner conductors, as shown in FIG. 4, could be used in the configurations of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, as far as showing an interconnection of outer conductors.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but all changes and modifications thereof not constitutingdepartures from the spiritand scope of the invention are intended to be included.

We claim: lQConnection between two pairs of coaxial conductors, each having an inner conductor, an outer conductor tube with ends and insulative dielectric supporting the outer conductor on the inner conductor, the end of the outer conductor tubes being axially spaced apart, comprising:

a metallic sleeve interposed between the ends of the outer conductor tubes of the two pairs and being axially flush with both outer conductor tubes, the

metallic connection as between the ends of the tubes and the sleeve;

a heat shrinkable hose slipped over and shrunk onto the sleeve and the ends of the-two outer conductors; and

means separately interconnectingthe inner conductors and being disposed inside of the sleeve and interconnecting the inner conductors.

2. Connection as in claim 1, the means including a second metal sleeve receiving the ends of the inner conductors, and a second shrinkable hose slipped over and shrunk onto the second sleeve.

3. Connection as in claim 2, and including solder means bonding the second sleeve to the inner conductors.

4. Connection as in claim 1, the means including a direct solder bond between the two inner conductors and a second shrinkable hose shrunk onto the inner conductors as interconnected by the solder bond.

5. Connection; as in claim 1, the means including an internally threaded sleeve, the inner conductors being threaded into said threaded sleeve.

6. Connection as in claim 1, the sleeve made of two axially divided sections. 

1. Connection between two pairs of coaxial conductors, each having an inner conductor, an outer conductor tube with ends and insulative dielectric supporting the outer conductor on the inner conductor, the end of the outer conductor tubes being axially spaced apart, comprising: a metallic sleeve interposed between the ends of the outer conductor tubes of the two pairs and being axially flush with both outer conductor tubes, the sleeve having two axial ends respectively soldered to the ends of said two outer conductor tubes to establish two soldered joints for providing bonded metallic connection as between the ends of the tubes and the sleeve; a heat shrinkable hose slipped over and shrunk onto the sleeve and the ends of the two outer conductors; and means separately interconnecting the inner conductors and being disposed inside of the sleeve and interconnecting the inner conductors.
 2. Connection as in claim 1, the means including a second metal sleeve receiving the ends of the inner conductors, and a second shrinkable hose slipped over and shrunk onto the second sleeve.
 3. Connection as in claim 2, and including solder means bonding the second sleeve to the inner conductors.
 4. Connection as in claim 1, the means including a direct solder bond between the two inner conductors and a second shrinkable hose shrunk onto the inner conductors as interconnected by the solder bond.
 5. Connection as in claim 1, the means including an internally threaded sleeve, the inner conductors being threaded into said threaded sleeve.
 6. Connection as in claim 1, the sleeve made of two axially divided sections. 